A Hartford loop comprises a safety device that is widely employed in whirlpool and spa applications to prevent backflow of water into one or more electrical components (including, but not limited to, electrical pumps, electrical blowers, water heaters, ozonators and like devices that are widely employed in commercial whirlpools and spas). In such applications, creating a Hartford Loop simply means to loop a conduit as high as possible (ideally above the water line) prior to coupling the conduit with a selected component. As seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,359 to Clark (hereinafter “Clark”, incorporated by reference in its entirety), a typical Hartford loop creates a trap with vertical leg portions X, Y and Z (see FIGS. 2 and 4) by which a first level A designates the highest level of coupling between legs X and Y; level B designates the lowest level at which water can spill from the trap to a blower (40) in fluid communication therewith; level C designates the lowest level of coupling between legs Y and Z; and level D designates the uppermost level of the top of the spa and thus the highest water level P. The Hartford loop height (also known as the “head”) is defined as the distance between levels A and D. During spa operation, water flow from spa (10) fills leg Z up to level C and thereafter spills into leg Y. Water subsequently traverses the connection between legs X and Y and approaches level A thereat. At this point, pressure from the spa water slightly compresses an air column that is trapped in leg Y and its connection to leg Z. Such compression suppresses travel of the water beyond level E, thereby creating an inexpensive yet effective means of preventing water damage to blower (see Clark, column 3, line 67 to column 4, line 43).
When employed in whirlpool bathing applications, a Hartford loop comprises an effective and inexpensive means to prevent backflow into electrical devices and thereby minimize the consequent fiscal and temporal costs associated with associated malfunction and repair. The prior art, however, lacks any teaching of the Hartford loop in a manifold configuration to ensure proper operation of a submersible air assembly in operable communication therewith. In practice, current whirlpool embodiments still employ one or more check valves at each Hartford loop that impart significant fiscal and temporal expense to the manufacture, installation and maintenance of whirlpool systems. It is therefore desirable to employ the principles inherent in Hartford loop applications to eliminate expensive check valves while retaining the benefit of water backflow prevention. It is further desired to achieve such benefit in concert with a submersible air control assembly so as to prevent backflow through such assembly and thereby ensure optimal operation thereof.